NOTES

On May 2, 2001, Cruise filed a $100 million lawsuit against porn actor Kyle Bradford (aka Chad Slater) charging that Bradford/Slater had issued a false story claiming that he and Cruise had engaged in a homosexual relationship.

In June 2001, Cruise filed a second $100 million lawsuit, this time charging defamation against Michael Davis, a Los Angeles-based entrepreneur who allegedly offered to sell a videotapes which he claimed showed Cruise engaging in homosexual activity.

"Cruise is very good. Consider that pack of novices in Francis Coppola's "The Outsiders" (83). Cruise was not much noticed then among Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, and C. Thomas Howell (this team is a great tribute to the foresight of Coppola and his casting wizard Fred Roos). But he has gone on to so much richer and more coherent a career and so little wish to impose himself or his attitude upon his pictures. Cruise is one of the first young actors who seems unaffected by the impact of Brando or Clift, and much more inspired by the example of a Gable or a Grant. He wants to work."---David Thomson, "A Biographical Dictionary of Film" New York: Alfred A Knopf, 1994

Cruise made an uncredited appearance as a gunfighter who gets killed in a shootout in "Young Guns" (1988).

"Tom Cruise has a star named for him in the Hercules constellation, thanks to wife Nicole Kidman, who paid $40 to International Star Registry for the honor."---From Daily News, January 6, 1993.

Cruise began practicing Scientology while married to Mimi Rogers, whose father was one of its founders.

Tom Cruise placed 10th in the annual exhibitors' poll of top ten boxoffice stars in 1983. He subsequently placed 1st in 1986, 6th in 1987, 1st in 1988, 2nd in 1989, 4th in 1990, and 1st in 1992.

Received an American Cinema Award for "distinguished achievement in film" (1991).

In 1994, he was named Man of the Year by Harvard's Hasty Puddding Theatricals

In 1996, Cruise came to the rescue of people on three different occasions. March saw him take a Brazilian woman felled by a speeding car to the hospital and pay her $7000 bill when he found out she was without health insurance. Four months later, he spotted two young boys being crushed by surging crowds at the London premiere of "Mission: Impossible" and pulled them to safety, and then four weeks after that while yachting, he rescued five people when a nearby sail boat caught fire.

"His acting was so good it was almost bizarre. You'd look into his eyes and he'd really be there, he'd really be in love with you. You could see his heart and soul... And then the director would yell 'Cut,' Tom would leave the set, and you'd have to go into therapy for six months."---Renee Zellweger on working with Cruise in "Jerry Maguire" quoted in Entertainment Weekly, December 20, 1996.

"We knew from the beginning the level of commitment needed. We felt honored to work with [Stanley Kubrick]. We were going to do what it took to do this picture, whatever time, because I felt, and Nic [Nicole Kidman] did too, that this was going to be a really special time for us. We knew it would be difficult. But I would have absolutely kicked myself if I hadn't done this."---Tom Cruise about his decision to do "Eyes Wide Shut" quoted in Time, July 5, 1999.

In February 2002, Cruise had clear braces put on his famous smile after his child's orthodontist expressed concern about his overbite.

Cruise is active in the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project (H.E.L.P.), an organization which gives free tutoring to children and adults and uses "study technology," a method developed by L. Ron Hubbard. Cruise says it was this method which helped him overcome his own learning problems.

April 2004, An organization co-founded by actor Tom Cruise raised $1.2 million to expand a treatment program for rescue workers exposed to potentially hazardous materials after the collapse of the World Trade Center; The project's program was developed by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology, of which Cruise is a member.

"It's well known that I'm a Scientologist, and that has helped me to find that inner peace in my life. [It's] something that has given me great stability and tools that I use, and it's also something that's enabled me to help others in a way that I've always wanted to, something substantial."---Cruise quoted in Cinema Confidential, December 4, 2003.

"You can't go through life always walking on the sidewalk," Cruise says, explaining why he was drawn to this role. "You've got to cross the street. I'm always asking myself, How far can I go? For me, that's what life is about. I'm going to continue taking risks because it's not about being bankable at the box office. I can't control that. I just have to be consistent and true to myself."---Cruise to Los Angeles Confidential, Summer 2004

"We laugh hysterically. My mom, my sisters, we piss ourselves with laughter. You know, even now, sometimes we go from country to country, and I'll be there with Lee Anne, and I'm getting on my airplane. And it's just that look of 'Can you f**king believe this? I don't think I will ever not be giddy about that. It may sound funny but ... there's just an appreciation. A true damn appreciation for it."---Cruise on his megastar status to GQ, December 2004.